Stage 2 Mesothelioma

    Patients who are diagnosed with Stage 2 mesothelioma experience metastasis of tumors that have expanded outside the pleura and into the underlying lung. The tumor has usually moved into the regional lymph nodes, but has not spread to other parts of the body through the lymphatic system. Most patients with this stage of mesothelioma have extensive involvement in the visceral pleura and lung.

    During Stage 2, it is possible that tumors have metastasized to the pleural membrane of the other lung. The tumors can also spread to the esophagus and the lining of the heart. Through a biopsy or video-assisted thoracoscopy, doctors can distinguish the small nodules of tumors that attach to the parietal pleura. Patients who are diagnosed with Stage 2 mesothelioma typically have a life span of 19 months.

Stage 2 Symptoms

    Many patients who are diagnosed with Stage 2 mesothelioma experience pleural effusionthat causes chest pain and difficulty breathing. Pleural effusions usually lead to inflammation of the pleura, called pleuritis, which causes a sharp pain during inhalation. The inflammation tends to gradually worsen, leading to increasing pain while breathing. Other symptoms of pleural effusions, also known as pleurisy, are cough, chest tenderness and shortness of breath.

Stage 2 Mesothelioma Treatment

    Because the cancerous cells in patients with Stage 2 mesothelioma have usually not spread to other parts of the body, patients are still eligible to undergo surgery to remove the large tumors. Doctors will use two main surgical procedures, either extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) or pleurectomy and decortification (P/D). An EPP involves the removal of the affected lung while P/D is the process of removing the affected tissue from the pleura and surrounding areas.

    Most doctors employ a multimodal approach when treating advanced cases of mesothelioma. Because the majority of patients who are diagnosed are not eligible for surgery, physicians use chemotherapy to help improve survival rates.

    Cisplatin and pemetrexed have been approved by the FDA as a combination chemotherapy treatment that has been proven to extend the life expectancy for patients and reduce tumor growth. One study of 14 patients with Stage 2 mesothelioma who were administered cisplatin at more frequent doses than normal achieved greater results of disease stabilization.

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